A Grand Day

Even before the Easter Bunny hippity-hops onto the scene, it will be Grandparent's Day - on April 22nd, in fact.  Just enough time to make something cute and yarntastic for someone you love.  But what to make?

Here are some ideas:

• A favorite animal or pet (use an existing pattern and add personalized features)
• A bouquet of yarn flowers
• A crocheted basket filled with yarn picnic foods (you can be like Little Red Riding Hood)
• A bowl with crocheted fruits or veggies
• A doll modeled after each grandchild with a locket & photo
• A tea cozy
• A crocheted airplane, train, car, hot air balloon, boat, or other vehicle (customized would be nice)
• Grill foods
• Just think what is important to the person - what's in their house, what stories do they tell, what do they love to do
• And, for those of you with crafty grandparents, perhaps a crochet pattern or book!

And remember - it doesn't have to be your grandparent.  Any grandparent in your life would appreciate being thought of.  So make them feel special on this special day!
Do you have any Grandparent's Day crochet ideas or know of a pattern perfect for the occasion?  Please share - your comments are more than welcome!


And here is a gift from me - a free applique pattern with variations!


Glorious Grands Appliques
Pattern by Katie Christy, Yarnington
Grandma & Grandpa - so great, they're grand!

Head

#	directions
1	hdc 6 into a mc
2	ss, ch 1, hdc into the same st, (2 hdc in each st) X 5, ss into the ch
3	This is a bald head.  You can fo and weave in the loose ends if you’d like.  Or, move on to one of the hair instructions below.

Side Tufts

#	directions
1	ch 2, ss into the same st, join gray yarn
2	ss in the same st, ch 1, ss, sc, join tan yarn
3	ss 3, join gray yarn
4	sc, ss, join tan yarn
5	ch 2, ss in the same st, fo, weave in loose ends

Short Hair

#	directions
1	ch 2, ss into the same st, join gray yarn
2	ss in the same st, (ch 2, ss) X 6 *adjust number of repetitions to customize head shape, more for a rounder head, fewer for an oval head, join tan yarn
3	ch 2, ss in the same st, fo, weave in loose ends

Bun

#	directions
1	ch 2, ss into the same st, join gray yarn
2	ss in the same st, sc, hdc, ss in the same st, dc, tc in the same st, tc in the same st, dc in the same st, ss, hdc in the same st, sc, ss, join tan yarn
3	ch 2, ss in the same st, fo, weave in loose ends

You can also make an additional blank head piece and whip stitch it to the head-with-face piece (with the backs on the inside).  This creates a more finished piece – perfect for gift trimming and many other things!

Please do not sell this pattern or reproduce it in any way.  If you would like to share it, please do not copy & paste, but instead link to this page.  Items made from this pattern are not to be sold under any circumstances.  This is a pattern free for your personal or charitable use only.  Thank you!

Here are some more free patterns for you:

Fruit & Vegetable Basket by Michele Wilcox from Coats and Clark 

Daffodils from Planet June

Carnations by Rachel on Crochet Spot

Jumbo Burger from Lion Brand

Cat Tea Cozy by Pat Sciancalepore from Craftown

Crochet Lola Doll from Lion Brand

Heart from K&J Dolls

And Happy Early Grandparents Day to any of you out there with your own grandkids!!

Happy crocheting!

Elusive and Reclusive

You push through the dense forest, trying desperately to hold onto the hope that you'll find your way out.  Surely, a trail will open up, a clearing will appear, salvation will come just around the next bend.  But twist after turn, there is nothing but more gnarled trees blocking your path, more brambles scratching at your legs, more menacing sounds coming from unnamed sources all around you.  And as darkness descends, so do your spirits.
Hours pass...
A thick mantle of clouds drifts across the sky.  The stars wink out, one by one, and finally, the moonlight fades away.
You walk now through the complete blackness of night.  You trip over tree roots, you are raked relentlessly by reaching branches.  You've never been so lost.  So scared.  And worst of all, it has been clear for some time now that something is following you.
You hear it scuffling heavily through the dead leaves and rotting pine needles.  Its breath is ragged.  And it is getting closer.
Something snaps right behind you and you break into a panicked sprint.  You trip.  Fall.  With bloody knees and palms, you heave yourself back up and try to run, but the thing is upon you...
You let yourself fall back to the ground.  You close your eyes tight and curl into a ball.  Your hope is gone.
The thing looms hugely over you now.  You feel the heat of its body.  You smell its earthy, foresty scent - like woodchips and fir cones and mossy soil.  It makes a deep, rumbling, cooing sound and you hear it squat down.  It reaches toward you.
To your utter surprise, you feel the creature ever so gently pet your back.  Its hand is enormous.  It coos again, comfortingly, and pulls you into its arms.  You crack your eyes open and see it.  Can it be?  Are you dreaming?  Can this really be bigfoot?
The creature smiles and you look, fully now, into its deep black eyes.  You know at once that this is no monster.  The creature carries you, moving fast through the trees and the bushes and the boulders.  He keeps going until you have reached a clearing.  And, yes - the road.
He pats your head and coos again before turning and trotting back into the black forest, taking all your fears with him.

Meet the Bigfoot Pals!  Left to right: Bunyip, Sasquatch, and Yeti.  They're available now:
Yarnington on Etsy
Yarnington on Ravelry


Sasquatch: Bigfoot of the forest and mountains
Yeti: Bigfoot of the snow
Bunyip: Bigfoot of Australia


And here are some other woodsy patterns for your perusal:

Woody the Owl from Roxycraft

Fox from Nimoe's Blog

Balsam Fir from Lion Brand

Bear from Ana Paula

Thank you to the designers for these awesome patterns!

Happy crocheting!